Japanese dictionary
How to say "that" in Japanese
それそれ · sore
"That" in Japanese depends on distance. Near the listener is それ (sore), and far from both is あれ (are). Before a noun, use その or あの.
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Ways to say "that" in Japanese
| Japanese | When to use it |
|---|---|
| それそれ · sore | That (near the listener). |
| あれあれ · are | That (far from both). |
| その・あのその・あの · sono, ano | That (before a noun). |
| 〜ということ〜ということ · to iu koto | That (introducing a clause). |
How to use it
Japanese uses こ・そ・あ for this, that and that over there: これ・それ・あれ.
"I think that..." is 〜と思います.
Example sentences
- それは何ですか。Sore wa nan desu ka.What is that?
- あれは東京タワーです。Are wa Tōkyō tawā desu.That's Tokyo Tower.
- その資料を見せてください。Sono shiryō o misete kudasai.Please show me that document.
- あの人はだれですか。Ano hito wa dare desu ka.Who is that person?
- 会議は延期になるということです。Kaigi wa enki ni naru to iu koto desu.It means that the meeting will be postponed.
- それはいい考えだと思います。Sore wa ii kangae da to omoimasu.I think that's a good idea.
Questions
What is the difference between それ and あれ?
それ (sore) is near the listener. あれ (are) is far from both speaker and listener.
What is the difference between それ and その?
それ stands alone: それは何ですか. その comes before a noun: その本.
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